Rivian to Debut 800 HP Electric Truck at LA Auto Show

Little known Michigan-based electric startup Rivian is debuting its 800 horsepower electric truck at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

Named the A1T, the five-passenger electric vehicle from Rivian Automotive, an EV startup, will use an all-wheel-drive platform, with the A1T promising a 2.8-second 0 to 60 mph time, on par with actual supercars such as the 918 Spyder and the Aventador SV. It will also be powered by an 80 kWh battery pack providing up to 450 miles on a single charge.

Think of this as a Tesla Model X, but without all the factory issues.

Sleek and Stealthy

On the vehicle design side, it resembles a souped-up Honda Ridgeline with water wading capacities, clearing up to 3.6 feet of water and handling 45-degree inclines with ease.

“It’s stiffer than a supercar,” said Scaringe in an Engadget interview. “There are only a few cars in the world that are going to be as fast as ours, and we have a large five-passenger truck.”

Production is now based out of the former American factory home of Mitsubishi Motors in a 2.8 million square foot facility. Started in 2009, the company features a who?s who of ex-employees from major automakers, with roughly 350 in all. Its CEO is RJ Scaringe, an MIT alumnus who founded Mainstream Motors before dedicating his career to electrification.

Look for the A1T to go into production in 2020, with an SUV, the A1C, out the following year. Until then, get ready to see the electric car startup flash some of its electric vehicle muscle at the L.A. Auto Show this November.